http://www.wowwiki.com/User_blog:Fandyllic?feed=atomFandyllic's blog2015-03-03T20:40:37ZFrom WoWWikiMediaWiki 1.19.23http://www.wowwiki.com/User_blog:Fandyllic/WoWWiki_hits_99,000_pages!WoWWiki hits 99,000 pages!2013-10-31T16:05:31Z<div class="center"><div class="floatnone"><img src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/3/35/WoWWiki-wordmark-99K.png/revision/latest?cb=20140208155724" alt="WoWWiki-wordmark-99K" class="" data-image-key="WoWWiki-wordmark-99K.png" data-image-name="WoWWiki-wordmark-99K.png" width="250" height="65" ></div></div>
<p>I know the way the wiki calculates the page count is a mystery and potentially sketchy, but when the number shows 99,000 (which happened yesterday, 30-October-2013) it is a ton of pages!
</p><p>What does this mean? Not much in the larger scheme of things, but it does mean we're very close to the even bigger number: 100,000 pages. So you may get harassing notices from the <a href="/WoWWiki:ADMIN" title="WoWWiki:ADMIN" class="mw-redirect">admins</a> about a push to 100K. We'll definitely try to make it part of a contest with some kind of prize or prizes. Most likely it will be some swag from <a href="/BlizzCon_2013" title="BlizzCon 2013">BlizzCon 2013</a>, but who knows?
</p><p>WoWWiki hit around 50K pages in late 2007, only about 3 years after it started, so growth has clearly slowed since then. So many pages to add! After BlizzCon I'm going to look into ways to make adding content easier, especially filling in those super-complicated templates that make WoWWiki look so good, but also make it harder to add stuff that looks nice. Some ideas include better <a href="/WoWWiki:BP" title="WoWWiki:BP" class="mw-redirect">boilerplates</a> (including new ones for things like <a href="/Battle_pet" title="Battle pet">battle pets</a>, <a href="/Glyph" title="Glyph">glyphs</a>, etc.), third party tools that work with your browser to quickly fill-in stuff (on the Mac, I use TextExpander), and if possible, some in-wiki tools (like better pre-loads or template entry UI).
</p><p>So how soon can we get to 100K? I'm guessing after BlizzCon, we will get there pretty fast just to keep up with announcements.
</p>Fandyllichttp://www.wowwiki.com/User_blog:Fandyllic/Activision_trades_Blizzard_Entertainment_for_BioWare_with_EA:_New_company_ActiviWare!Activision trades Blizzard Entertainment for BioWare with EA: New company ActiviWare!2013-04-02T04:35:44Z<p>According to sources who wish to remain anonymous, Activision-Blizzard is no more. Activision's Bobby Kotick, after expressing private disappointment in the shrinking subscriber base of World of Warcraft, has engineered an intellectual property and stock swap with rival EA to acquire BioWare in exchange for Blizzard Entertainment. Hoping to capitalize on the remaining goodwill of the BioWare name, Activision has decided to rename itself "ActiviWare" with a merging of the two companies already similar logos.
</p><p><br />
</p>
<div style="background-color:white;">
<div class="center"><div class="floatnone"><a href="http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/d/d5/ActiviWare.png/revision/latest?cb=20130402042126" class="image image-thumbnail" ><img src="http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/d/d5/ActiviWare.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width/400?cb=20130402042126" alt="ActiviWare" class="" data-image-key="ActiviWare.png" data-image-name="ActiviWare.png" width="400" height="81" ></a></div></div>
</div>
<p><br />
Complete details of the merger swap were not disclosed, but EA's interim CEO has proposed an initial project to try to restore user's trust in SimCity after that property's recent launch problems by marrying some elements of the Warcraft universe into the next Sim installment, tentatively called, "SimCraft". Some of the ideas floated include mechanics similar to MineCraft, but using pieces of the Warcraft world with a Sim flavor.
</p><p><br />
</p>
<div class="center"><div class="floatnone"><a href="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/3/3a/SimCraft.png/revision/latest?cb=20130402041413" class="image image-thumbnail" ><img src="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/3/3a/SimCraft.png/revision/latest?cb=20130402041413" alt="SimCraft" class="" data-image-key="SimCraft.png" data-image-name="SimCraft.png" width="425" height="135" ></a></div></div>
<p><br />
Supposedly, Mike Morhaime has been in close touch with counterparts at Maxis for the last few weeks, but in major stealth mode. A skunkworks project may already be staffed.
</p><p>ActiviWare has not given any specifics on future products to come from the new company citing the need to work out the administrative logistics of the more significant change and to run any ideas past the Call of Duty team before any major announcements. Some concepts in the works include "Call of Duty Age" to add more branches and RPG story to the Call of Duty franchise or possible "Skylanders of the Old Republic".
</p><p>There you have it. Expect this story to break all over the video gaming world in the next days and weeks. Gamasutra supposedly has a mole inside EA with much more detail, but they were not ready to go to press until a couple of days in order to tighten up their sources.
</p>Fandyllichttp://www.wowwiki.com/User_blog:Fandyllic/2012_WoWWiki_holiday_card!2012 WoWWiki holiday card!2012-12-22T21:58:46Z<p>Wikia doesn't seem to be asking for holiday cards from it's wikis this year, but I updated the one from last year for 2012. Enjoy!
</p>
<div class="center"><div class="floatnone"><a href="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/3/36/WoWWiki_Holiday_card_2012.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20121222215125" class="image image-thumbnail" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="WoWWiki Holiday card 2012" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="WoWWiki_Holiday_card_2012.jpg" data-image-name="WoWWiki Holiday card 2012.jpg" data-src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/3/36/WoWWiki_Holiday_card_2012.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20121222215125" width="500" height="333" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/3/36/WoWWiki_Holiday_card_2012.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20121222215125" alt="WoWWiki Holiday card 2012" class="" data-image-key="WoWWiki_Holiday_card_2012.jpg" data-image-name="WoWWiki Holiday card 2012.jpg" width="500" height="333" ></noscript></a></div></div>
Fandyllichttp://www.wowwiki.com/User_blog:Fandyllic/Do_you_want_Message_Wall_turned_on%3FDo you want Message Wall turned on?2012-01-27T00:21:47Z<table class="plainlinks ambox ambox-blue"><tr><td class="ambox-image"><a href="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/a/aa/Blizz_construction_sign.png/revision/latest?cb=20050826000741" class="image image-thumbnail" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Blizz construction sign" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Blizz_construction_sign.png" data-image-name="Blizz construction sign.png" data-src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/a/aa/Blizz_construction_sign.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width/64?cb=20050826000741" width="64" height="58" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/a/aa/Blizz_construction_sign.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width/64?cb=20050826000741" alt="Blizz construction sign" class="" data-image-key="Blizz_construction_sign.png" data-image-name="Blizz construction sign.png" width="64" height="58" ></noscript></a></td><td style="padding:0.25em 0.5em;"><b>This article or section is under construction.</b><div class="amsmalltext">
<ul><li> Please be patient as the person who started this article or a recent editor is probably still in the process of committing changes to it.
</li><li> Unlike a <a href="/WoWWiki:Stub" title="WoWWiki:Stub" class="mw-redirect">stub</a>, contributors have the intention of filling out this article soon.</div></td></tr></table>
</li></ul>
<p>Wikia has just introduced a new feature to replace user talk pages called <a href="http://community.wikia.com/wiki/User_blog:Dopp/Message_Wall_Now_Available_in_Labs" class="extiw" title="w:User blog:Dopp/Message Wall Now Available in Labs">Message Wall</a>. It functions very similarly to the comment system used by blogs like this one. It supports wikicode (albeit, probably with a few bugs initially), but does not require it and allows for simple automatic thread organization.
</p>
<nav id="toc" class="toc"><div id="toctitle"><h2>Contents</h2><span class="toctoggle">[<a href="#" class="internal" id="togglelink" data-show="show" data-hide="hide">show</a>]</span></div><ol></ol></nav>
<h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Pros_and_cons"> Pros and cons </span><span class="editsection"><a href="/User_blog:Fandyllic/Do_you_want_Message_Wall_turned_on%3F?action=edit&amp;section=1" title="Edit Pros and cons section"><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" class="sprite edit-pencil" />Edit</a></span></h2>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Pros"> Pros </span><span class="editsection"><a href="/User_blog:Fandyllic/Do_you_want_Message_Wall_turned_on%3F?action=edit&amp;section=2" title="Edit Pros section"><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" class="sprite edit-pencil" />Edit</a></span></h3>
<ul><li> Optional. It can be turned on/off in the <a href="/Special:WikiFeatures" title="Special:WikiFeatures">Wikia Labs control panel</a> (usable by admins only).
</li><li> Clean user interface and easy to use.
</li><li> Still supports wikicode for images and sigs.
</li><li> Supports sorting by Newest threads, Oldest threads, Newest replies, or Most active. (Not sure how many at a time or what other specific criteria might be.)
</li><li> Allows simple thread organization based on replies to an initial post.
</li><li> Users cannot edit other user's posts/replies. (Better security.)
</li><li> View individual threads.
</li><li> Has simple separate entry for post section header equivalent and message body.
</li><li> Automatically shows user avatars by their posts/replies.
</li><li> Automatic date/time stamping (<i>n time</i> ago or HH:MM Month Day, Year).
</li><li> Optionally shows profile name ("What's your name?"), if filled in, as first user link. (Some may view this as a Con.)
</li><li> "More" dropdown on individual posts or replies has Edit (if you created it), History, View source, and Remove.
</li><li> Notification on other wikis of Message Wall changes looks the same as changes to talk pages.
</li><li> Notification of replies to your posts on other user's message walls. (This could also be considered a Con.) <img src="http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/common/skins/common/images/bubbles.png" alt="bubbles.png" />
</li><li> Automatically archives existing talk page when Message Wall is turned on. (Not sure what happens if you turn it on/off multiple times.)
<ul><li> If the feature is turned off, the archive goes back to the User talk namespace; turned back on and it archives again. Nothing gets deleted, although you can't access Message Wall posts when the feature is disabled.
</li></ul>
</li><li> Auto collapses long threads. (Not sure how this works.)
<ul><li> This happens on Message Wall pages when a thread goes beyond 7 messages; you see the original post and the two most recent replies, with a link that opens the full thread.
</li></ul>
</li><li> People can remove other users posts from Message Walls that aren't their own. (This could also be considered a Con.)
</li></ul>
<h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Cons"> Cons </span><span class="editsection"><a href="/User_blog:Fandyllic/Do_you_want_Message_Wall_turned_on%3F?action=edit&amp;section=3" title="Edit Cons section"><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" class="sprite edit-pencil" />Edit</a></span></h3>
<ul><li> People can remove other users posts from Message Walls that aren't their own. (This is mostly only bad, if marker or thread links don't stay around where the removed post/reply was).
<ul><li> Thread links are always the same -- it's in the form "Thread:3000" so that a link to the thread will always work, even if the thread has been removed. This also allows for the future ability to move threads to another wall if it's been posted in the wrong place -- not included in the current feature, but will be in a future rev.
</li></ul>
</li><li> Hard to find link for revision history for individual message walls or threads (need to add <tt>action=history</tt> or look for link in toolbar at bottom).
</li><li> By default, Message Wall activity will spam your e-mail address. (You can turn it off under the "Email" tab in <a href="/Special:Preferences" title="Special:Preferences">preferences</a>.)
</li><li> You will get spammed on other wikis by replies to threads you've commented on and there appears to be no way currently to control or throttle notification. (You can choose to "unfollow" any conversation that isn't on your own wall.)
</li><li> <strike>No help page <i>yet</i>.</strike>
<ul><li> <a href="/Help:Message_Wall" title="Help:Message Wall">Help:Message Wall</a> Here ya go! Sorry for the wait. --<a href="/User:Dopp" title="User:Dopp">Dopp</a> <img src="http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb32675/wikia/images/e/e9/WikiaStaff.png" alt="WikiaStaff.png" /> <small>(<a href="http://community.wikia.com/wiki/Forum%3ACommunity_Central_Forum" class="extiw" title="w:c:community:Forum:Community Central Forum">help forum</a> | <a href="http://community.wikia.com/wiki/Blog%3AWikia_Staff_Blog" class="extiw" title="w:c:community:Blog:Wikia Staff Blog">blog</a>)</small> 23:28, January 27, 2012 (UTC)
</li></ul>
</li><li> Less wikicode control of overall formatting.
</li><li> Users cannot edit other user's posts/replies. (Can't fix problems.) (Admins can edit other users' posts.)
</li><li> You can view source of a post/reply, but you can't select it (making it hard to copy and re-use).
</li><li> No TOC generation or index of links to posts.
</li><li> Can't spawn separate thread based on a reply.
</li><li> No known archive mechanism.
</li><li> Might not be as space efficient as old wiki code blob talk page.
</li><li> Post or reply removal can be slow.
</li><li> Optionally shows profile name ("What's your name?"), if filled in, as first user link. (Several users have expressed dislike of this during testing.)
</li><li> Notification may be slow.
</li><li> Anonymous user welcome bot may not work right. (See <s><a href="http://wakfu.wikia.com/wiki/Thread%3A10976" class="extiw" title="w:c:wakfu:Thread:10976">w:c:wakfu:Thread:10976</a></s> <i>thread deleted and Message Wall disabled</i>.)
</li><li> Archived talk page locked so only sysops can edit it.
</li></ul>
<h2><span class="mw-headline" id="My_thoughts"> My thoughts </span><span class="editsection"><a href="/User_blog:Fandyllic/Do_you_want_Message_Wall_turned_on%3F?action=edit&amp;section=4" title="Edit My thoughts section"><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" class="sprite edit-pencil" />Edit</a></span></h2>
<p>On the whole I like it, but the ability for anyone to remove anyone else's posts or replies seems like a little too poorly designed in its current form. Until buttons or links are added to see message wall or thread histories, it will be kind of annoying. It's been available for a day on Community and someone already removed three of my posts on my own message wall with the simple comment: "spam". Great.
</p><p>User's should be given more control over their own message walls, in my opinion. Maybe instead of removing messages on other user's walls, it could hide them instead.
</p>Fandyllichttp://www.wowwiki.com/User_blog:Fandyllic/Wikia_sends_Fandyllic_a_nice_holiday_cardWikia sends Fandyllic a nice holiday card2011-12-16T05:07:19Z<p>Just thought I'd share the nice holiday card Wikia staff sent me.
</p>
<div class="center"><figure class="article-thumb tnone show-info-icon" style="width: 180px"> <a href="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/d/d0/Blizz_card_from_Wikia_front_Dec_2011.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20111216045430" class="image image-thumbnail" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Blizz card from Wikia front Dec 2011" class="thumbimage lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Blizz_card_from_Wikia_front_Dec_2011.jpg" data-image-name="Blizz card from Wikia front Dec 2011.jpg" data-src="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/d/d0/Blizz_card_from_Wikia_front_Dec_2011.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width/180?cb=20111216045430" width="180" height="114" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/d/d0/Blizz_card_from_Wikia_front_Dec_2011.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width/180?cb=20111216045430" alt="Blizz card from Wikia front Dec 2011" class="thumbimage " data-image-key="Blizz_card_from_Wikia_front_Dec_2011.jpg" data-image-name="Blizz card from Wikia front Dec 2011.jpg" width="180" height="114" ></noscript></a> <figcaption> <a href="/File:Blizz_card_from_Wikia_front_Dec_2011.jpg" class="sprite info-icon"></a> <p class="caption">Front of Blizzard holiday card from Wikia</p> </figcaption> </figure></div>
<dl><dd><i>You can see the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://us.blizzard.com/_images/frontpage/en-us/misc/holiday2009.jpg">clean original</a> on Blizzard's site from 2009.</i>
</dd></dl>
<div class="center"><figure class="article-thumb tnone show-info-icon" style="width: 180px"> <a href="http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/f/f7/Blizz_card_from_Wikia_Inside_Dec_2011.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20111216045431" class="image image-thumbnail" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Blizz card from Wikia Inside Dec 2011" class="thumbimage lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Blizz_card_from_Wikia_Inside_Dec_2011.jpg" data-image-name="Blizz card from Wikia Inside Dec 2011.jpg" data-src="http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/f/f7/Blizz_card_from_Wikia_Inside_Dec_2011.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width/180?cb=20111216045431" width="180" height="230" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/f/f7/Blizz_card_from_Wikia_Inside_Dec_2011.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width/180?cb=20111216045431" alt="Blizz card from Wikia Inside Dec 2011" class="thumbimage " data-image-key="Blizz_card_from_Wikia_Inside_Dec_2011.jpg" data-image-name="Blizz card from Wikia Inside Dec 2011.jpg" width="180" height="230" ></noscript></a> <figcaption> <a href="/File:Blizz_card_from_Wikia_Inside_Dec_2011.jpg" class="sprite info-icon"></a> <p class="caption">Inside signed by lots of Wikia staff!</p> </figcaption> </figure></div>
<p>They also gave me a big pack of <a href="/Blizzard_Entertainment" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="Blizzard Entertainment" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Blizz" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Blizz.gif" data-image-name="Blizz.gif" data-src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/2/20/Blizz.gif/revision/latest?cb=20061231181034" width="22" height="15" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/2/20/Blizz.gif/revision/latest?cb=20061231181034" alt="Blizz" class="" data-image-key="Blizz.gif" data-image-name="Blizz.gif" width="22" height="15" ></noscript></a> holiday cards.
</p>Fandyllichttp://www.wowwiki.com/User_blog:Fandyllic/WoW_holiday_sale_thru_Dec_19_at_US_Blizzard_store_(Dec_21_at_EU_store)WoW holiday sale thru Dec 19 at US Blizzard store (Dec 21 at EU store)2011-12-07T17:03:41Z<dl><dt>US
</dt></dl>
<p>WoW is now dirt cheap at the US Blizzard Store!
</p>
<ul><li> $5 WoW Battle Chest (Classic <a href="/World_of_Warcraft" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="World of Warcraft" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="WoW Icon 16x16" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="WoW_Icon_16x16.gif" data-image-name="WoW Icon 16x16.gif" data-src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/f/f6/WoW_Icon_16x16.gif/revision/latest?cb=20071128233057" width="16" height="16" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/f/f6/WoW_Icon_16x16.gif/revision/latest?cb=20071128233057" alt="WoW Icon 16x16" class="" data-image-key="WoW_Icon_16x16.gif" data-image-name="WoW Icon 16x16.gif" width="16" height="16" ></noscript></a> World of Warcraft + <a href="/World_of_Warcraft:_The_Burning_Crusade" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="TBC" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Bc icon" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Bc_icon.gif" data-image-name="Bc icon.gif" data-src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/0e/Bc_icon.gif/revision/latest?cb=20070117222004" width="30" height="14" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/0e/Bc_icon.gif/revision/latest?cb=20070117222004" alt="Bc icon" class="" data-image-key="Bc_icon.gif" data-image-name="Bc icon.gif" width="30" height="14" ></noscript></a> Burning Crusade expansion)
</li><li> $10 <a href="/World_of_Warcraft:_Wrath_of_the_Lich_King" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="WotLK" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Wrath-Logo-Small" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG" data-image-name="Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG" data-src="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/08/Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG/revision/latest?cb=20090403101742" width="36" height="19" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/08/Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG/revision/latest?cb=20090403101742" alt="Wrath-Logo-Small" class="" data-image-key="Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG" data-image-name="Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG" width="36" height="19" ></noscript></a> Wrath of the Lich King expansion
</li><li> $20 <a href="/World_of_Warcraft:_Cataclysm" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="Cataclysm" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Cataclysm-Logo-Small" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" data-image-name="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" data-src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/7/74/Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png/revision/latest?cb=20110224050011" width="44" height="15" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/7/74/Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png/revision/latest?cb=20110224050011" alt="Cataclysm-Logo-Small" class="" data-image-key="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" data-image-name="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" width="44" height="15" ></noscript></a> Cataclysm expansion
</li></ul>
<p>That's basically $35 for everything through Cataclysm!
</p>
<dl><dt>EU
</dt></dl>
<p>...and now also on sale (but sadly not as good a deal) at the EU Blizzard store!
</p>
<ul><li> &#8364;9.99 WoW Battle Chest (Classic <a href="/World_of_Warcraft" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="World of Warcraft" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="WoW Icon 16x16" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="WoW_Icon_16x16.gif" data-image-name="WoW Icon 16x16.gif" data-src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/f/f6/WoW_Icon_16x16.gif/revision/latest?cb=20071128233057" width="16" height="16" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/f/f6/WoW_Icon_16x16.gif/revision/latest?cb=20071128233057" alt="WoW Icon 16x16" class="" data-image-key="WoW_Icon_16x16.gif" data-image-name="WoW Icon 16x16.gif" width="16" height="16" ></noscript></a> World of Warcraft + <a href="/World_of_Warcraft:_The_Burning_Crusade" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="TBC" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Bc icon" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Bc_icon.gif" data-image-name="Bc icon.gif" data-src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/0e/Bc_icon.gif/revision/latest?cb=20070117222004" width="30" height="14" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/0e/Bc_icon.gif/revision/latest?cb=20070117222004" alt="Bc icon" class="" data-image-key="Bc_icon.gif" data-image-name="Bc icon.gif" width="30" height="14" ></noscript></a> Burning Crusade expansion)
</li><li> &#8364;24.99 <a href="/World_of_Warcraft:_Wrath_of_the_Lich_King" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="WotLK" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Wrath-Logo-Small" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG" data-image-name="Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG" data-src="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/08/Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG/revision/latest?cb=20090403101742" width="36" height="19" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/08/Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG/revision/latest?cb=20090403101742" alt="Wrath-Logo-Small" class="" data-image-key="Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG" data-image-name="Wrath-Logo-Small.PNG" width="36" height="19" ></noscript></a> Wrath of the Lich King expansion
</li><li> &#8364;24.99 <a href="/World_of_Warcraft:_Cataclysm" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="Cataclysm" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Cataclysm-Logo-Small" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" data-image-name="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" data-src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/7/74/Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png/revision/latest?cb=20110224050011" width="44" height="15" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/7/74/Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png/revision/latest?cb=20110224050011" alt="Cataclysm-Logo-Small" class="" data-image-key="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" data-image-name="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" width="44" height="15" ></noscript></a> Cataclysm expansion
</li></ul>
<p>Basically &#8364;60 for the lot.
</p>
<h2><span class="mw-headline" id="External_links"> External links </span><span class="editsection"><a href="/User_blog:Fandyllic/WoW_holiday_sale_thru_Dec_19_at_US_Blizzard_store_(Dec_21_at_EU_store)?action=edit&amp;section=1" title="Edit External links section"><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" class="sprite edit-pencil" />Edit</a></span></h2>
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<div class="elinks-item-blizzus" style="padding-left:26px; text-indent:-26px;"><a href="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/7/76/Icon-blizzus-22x22.png/revision/latest?cb=20110310060607" class="image image-thumbnail" title="Blizzard Entertainment (US)" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Icon-blizzus-22x22" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Icon-blizzus-22x22.png" data-image-name="Icon-blizzus-22x22.png" data-src="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/7/76/Icon-blizzus-22x22.png/revision/latest?cb=20110310060607" width="22" height="22" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/7/76/Icon-blizzus-22x22.png/revision/latest?cb=20110310060607" alt="Icon-blizzus-22x22" class="" data-image-key="Icon-blizzus-22x22.png" data-image-name="Icon-blizzus-22x22.png" width="22" height="22" ></noscript></a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://us.blizzard.com/store/browse.xml?f=p%3A110000044%2Cp%3A1100000265%2Cp%3A1100001289%2Cp%3A1100000763%2Cp%3A1100000942">Blizzard Store (US)</a>&#160;<span class="elink-desc">Holiday sale</span>&#160;<span class="elink-bydate" style="font-size:88%;">thru December 19, 2011</span></div>
<div class="elinks-item-blizzeu" style="padding-left:26px; text-indent:-26px;"><a href="http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/3/34/Icon-blizzeu-22x22.png/revision/latest?cb=20110310060645" class="image image-thumbnail" title="Blizzard Entertainment (EU)" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Icon-blizzeu-22x22" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Icon-blizzeu-22x22.png" data-image-name="Icon-blizzeu-22x22.png" data-src="http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/3/34/Icon-blizzeu-22x22.png/revision/latest?cb=20110310060645" width="22" height="22" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/3/34/Icon-blizzeu-22x22.png/revision/latest?cb=20110310060645" alt="Icon-blizzeu-22x22" class="" data-image-key="Icon-blizzeu-22x22.png" data-image-name="Icon-blizzeu-22x22.png" width="22" height="22" ></noscript></a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://eu.blizzard.com/store/browse.xml?f=p:210000104,p:221003197,p:221004377,p:221004077">Blizzard Store (EU)</a>&#160;<span class="elink-desc">Holiday sale</span>&#160;<span class="elink-bydate" style="font-size:88%;">thru December 21, 2011</span></div>
Fandyllichttp://www.wowwiki.com/User_blog:Fandyllic/Ideas_to_bring_subscribers_back_to_World_of_WarcraftIdeas to bring subscribers back to World of Warcraft2011-09-01T01:16:34Z<dl><dd><i>I will try to keep this blog post up to date and modify it based on commentary.</i>
</dd></dl>
<h2><span class="mw-headline" id="Commentary_and_ideas"> Commentary and ideas </span><span class="editsection"><a href="/User_blog:Fandyllic/Ideas_to_bring_subscribers_back_to_World_of_Warcraft?action=edit&amp;section=1" title="Edit Commentary and ideas section"><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" class="sprite edit-pencil" />Edit</a></span></h2>
<dl><dt>Commentary on casuals...
</dt></dl>
<p>As much press as <a href="/Hardcore" title="Hardcore">hardcore</a> players get around World of Warcraft, the difference in making money or not for <a href="/Blizzard_Entertainment" title="Blizzard Entertainment">Blizzard Entertainment</a> is not the hardcore players. Hardcore players don't represent the majority of players, but use up a vast majority of the resources in the game. This is because it is obvious that Blizzard spends a majority of its time catering to hardcore players. They spend inordinate amounts of time creating, refining and tweaking top-level raids, creating and tinkering with itemization for top-level raids and heroic instances, and responding to complaints and support requests from raiders. Blizzard is falling into the squeaky wheel trap.
</p><p>Because of this misplaced focus on hardcore players and their desire for top-level content, Blizzard is losing <a href="/Casual" title="Casual">casuals</a>. Casuals is what separates World of Warcraft from most MMOs. When the game first came out it was by far the most casual friendly MMO with the most depth and wise gameplay compromises. Blizzard has lost its way from this winning formula and so it is losing casuals<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-0">[1]</a></sup> at a rate too fast to maintain growth or even keeping at a plateau.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1">[2]</a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2">[3]</a></sup>
</p><p>Why are casuals so important? Because they pay as much as hardcore players, but use far less of Blizzard's resources. If the trend continues, Blizzard will continue to spend more and more resources on less and less players. It could become a vicious cycle.<sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3">[4]</a></sup> This time is still probably quite far off, since Blizzard can probably justify and maintain adequate content release cycles as long as their player base remains in the multiple millions, but they appear to be on the downside of the game's life-cycle<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4">[5]</a></sup> and are doing very little to really reverse the trend.
</p>
<dl><dt>Commentary on twinks
</dt></dl>
<p>Another group of players, some of whom could actually be considered "hardcore" in many respects, that Blizzard is also neglecting is the <a href="/Twink" title="Twink">twink</a> community. Blizzard has apparently long voiced its support for the twink community, but hasn't really delivered in their laser focus on end-game content.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5">[6]</a></sup> Although they acknowledge the problem, Blizzard has actually stated that their priority is on max-level PvP and that they apparently don't want to divert resources away from that.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6">[7]</a></sup> The twink community is less interested in immersion, lore, and quests than some of the casual community, but they definitely want focus on non-level cap, non-end game content. The twinks want attention to class balance and itemization at lower levels. So, as casuals will spend more time leveling at low levels, some of the benefits gained from aiding either twinks or casuals will benefit both.
</p>
<dl><dt>General
</dt></dl>
<ul><li> Allow the use of <a href="/Rest" title="Rest">rest</a> as a sort of currency or pre-req for some content.
</li><li> Remove as much grinding as possible. Basically, this means put something in dailies or other rep grind activities far more optional.
<ul><li> Dailies should give you something useful like profession ingredients, drink, food, potions, etc. and not just money and rep.
</li><li> Dailies should help complete some larger task, like the opening of <a href="/Ahn%27Qiraj" title="Ahn&#39;Qiraj">Ahn'Qiraj</a> or the various phases of <a href="/Isle_of_Quel%27Danas" title="Isle of Quel&#39;Danas">Isle of Quel'Danas</a>.
</li></ul>
</li><li> Make more dailies for different levels, but with much shorter rep grinds (remove the big grind to exalted for dailies below the level cap).
</li><li> Adjust all-level dailies to be divided among racial capitals to make each a quest hub for different level ranges of players. This way, there would be less congestion.
<ul><li> Stormwind City/Orgrimmar for level 81+.
</li><li> Dalaran for level 71 - 80.
</li><li> Shattrath City for level 61 - 70.
</li><li> Ironforge/Undercity for level 41 - 60.
</li><li> Darnassus/Exodar/Thunder Bluff/Silvermoon City for level 1 - 40.
</li></ul>
</li><li> Add more low level instances in or near racial capitals not congregated by level cap players.
<ul><li> These low-level instances, if done right can also serve the cross purpose of working on twink class balance through itemization coming out of these new instances.
</li></ul>
</li><li> Make frequenting less central racial capitals easier by making getting in and out or getting between key buildings easier.
<ul><li> Put flight path destination inside Exodar/Undercity or portal inside from flight path.
</li></ul>
</li><li> Allow players to become <a href="/Quest_giver" title="Quest giver">quest givers</a> to trade <a href="/Soulbound" title="Soulbound">soulbound</a> items for <a href="/Profession" title="Profession">profession</a> <a href="/Ingredients" title="Ingredients" class="mw-redirect">ingredients</a>.
</li><li> UI for trading macros in-game.
</li><li> Tune quests in zones more so leveling matches zones better.
</li><li> Add back longer questlines lower and mid-level (&lt;level 60), many of which were removed with <a href="/World_of_Warcraft:_Cataclysm" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="Cataclysm" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Cataclysm-Logo-Small" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" data-image-name="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" data-src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/7/74/Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png/revision/latest?cb=20110224050011" width="44" height="15" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/7/74/Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png/revision/latest?cb=20110224050011" alt="Cataclysm-Logo-Small" class="" data-image-key="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" data-image-name="Cataclysm-Logo-Small.png" width="44" height="15" ></noscript></a> Cataclysm.
</li></ul>
<dl><dt>Professions
</dt></dl>
<ul><li> Allow players to craft for other players who have soulbound ingredients, but only one type of ingredient at a time and possible only once per day/week/month.
</li><li> Fix <a href="/Archaeology" title="Archaeology">Archaeology</a> so it isn't so boring:
<ul><li> Add finds that point directly to a new dig site zone rather than mostly random hunting.
</li><li> Allow random items to be found at dig sites that seem at least semi-relevant to archaeology, like recipes, jewelry, etc.
</li><li> Since Archaeology is a secondary profession, make different areas accessible based on a related primary profession.
</li><li> ...or just kill it entirely.
</li></ul>
</li><li> Fix <a href="/First_Aid" title="First Aid">First Aid</a> so there are more useful products like:
<ul><li> More powerful bandages at high levels.
</li><li> More powerful anti-venoms.
</li></ul>
</li><li> Allow "deconstructing" cloth items for cloth items.
</li></ul>
<dl><dt>Business changes
</dt></dl>
<ul><li> Introduce tiered subscription rates depending on what expansion you have up to. The current model is unfair and new subscribers who don't want to buy all the expansions know it.
</li><li> Come out with "Battle Chest" omnibus software boxes with all but the last expansion included faster and for a lower price (say around US$40-60/&#8364;30-50).
<ul><li> Blizzard recently offered <a href="/World_of_Warcraft" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="World of Warcraft" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="WoW Icon 16x16" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="WoW_Icon_16x16.gif" data-image-name="WoW Icon 16x16.gif" data-src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/f/f6/WoW_Icon_16x16.gif/revision/latest?cb=20071128233057" width="16" height="16" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/f/f6/WoW_Icon_16x16.gif/revision/latest?cb=20071128233057" alt="WoW Icon 16x16" class="" data-image-key="WoW_Icon_16x16.gif" data-image-name="WoW Icon 16x16.gif" width="16" height="16" ></noscript></a> vanilla and <a href="/World_of_Warcraft:_The_Burning_Crusade" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="TBC" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Bc icon" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Bc_icon.gif" data-image-name="Bc icon.gif" data-src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/0e/Bc_icon.gif/revision/latest?cb=20070117222004" width="30" height="14" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/0e/Bc_icon.gif/revision/latest?cb=20070117222004" alt="Bc icon" class="" data-image-key="Bc_icon.gif" data-image-name="Bc icon.gif" width="30" height="14" ></noscript></a> for US$20,<sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7">[8]</a></sup> so they're already going in that direction, but this offer may be promotional and expire at some point.
</li></ul>
</li></ul>
<dl><dt>Pie-in-the-sky
</dt></dl>
<ul><li> Player representation committee to <a href="/Blizz" title="Blizz" class="mw-redirect">Blizzard</a>. Maybe like EVE Online's <a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://wiki.eveonline.com/en/wiki/Csm">CSM</a> (Council of Stellar Management).
</li><li> Allow groups of guilds to form "nations" (or "unions"?).
</li><li> Guild housing.
<ul><li> Player housing. This isn't that important, unless it can be done in a way that doesn't strain server resources too much.
</li></ul>
</li><li> Player built environment elements (bridges, buildings, farms, tunnels, etc.).
</li></ul>
<h2><span class="mw-headline" id="References">References</span><span class="editsection"><a href="/User_blog:Fandyllic/Ideas_to_bring_subscribers_back_to_World_of_Warcraft?action=edit&amp;section=2" title="Edit References section"><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" class="sprite edit-pencil" />Edit</a></span></h2>
<div class="references-small">
<ol class="references"><li id="cite_note-0"><a href="#cite_ref-0">^</a> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://missmediocre.com/?page_id=2">Miss Mediocre</a>&#32;2011-08-04.&#32;<a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://missmediocre.com/?p=1855">Wow… I’m Kinda Done With WoW…</a>.&#32;<i>Miss Mediocre (blog)</i>.</span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-1"><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://www.mmo-champion.com/members/2-Boubouille">Boubouille</a>&#32;2011-05-10.&#32;<a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/2293-WoW-Loses-600k-Subscribers-Diablo-3-Beta-Q3-2011-Arena-Passe-Blue-Posts">WoW Loses 600k Subscribers, Diablo 3 Beta Q3 2011, Arena Passe, Blue Posts</a>.&#32;<i>MMO Champion</i>.</span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-2"><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a> <span class="reference-text">Greg McClanahan&#32;2011-05-15.&#32;<a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/GregMcClanahan/20110515/7634/WoW_in_Decline_and_Blizzard_in_Denial.php">WoW in Decline and Blizzard in Denial</a>.&#32;<i>Gamasutra</i>.</span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-3"><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://venturebeat.com/author/mattlynley/">Matthew Lynley</a>&#32;2011-08-03.&#32;<a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://venturebeat.com/2011/08/03/world-of-warcraft-subscribers-fall-again/">World of Warcraft subscribers fall for second straight quarter</a>.&#32;<i>VentureBeat (GamesBeat)</i>.</span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-4"><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://mmodata.net/">MMOData</a> Charts v3.4 <a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://users.telenet.be/mmodata/Charts/Subs-1.png">Subscriptions&#160;: 1m - 12m</a></span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-5"><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a> <span class="reference-text">A well documented post about Blizzard's past stated support for twinking, but recent lack of support: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/character/draenor/Korette/">Korette</a>&#32;2011-07-30.&#32;<a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2463327228?page=1#0">Low levels are unacceptable - Blizzards commitments</a>.&#32;<i>Official Battlegrounds and World PvP forum (EU)</i>.</span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-6"><a href="#cite_ref-6">^</a> <span class="reference-text"><a href="/Blizzard_Entertainment" class="image image-thumbnail link-internal" title="Blizzard Entertainment" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Blizz" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Blizz.gif" data-image-name="Blizz.gif" data-src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/2/20/Blizz.gif/revision/latest?cb=20061231181034" width="22" height="15" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/2/20/Blizz.gif/revision/latest?cb=20061231181034" alt="Blizz" class="" data-image-key="Blizz.gif" data-image-name="Blizz.gif" width="22" height="15" ></noscript></a> <a href="/Wryxian" title="Wryxian">Wryxian</a>&#32;2011-08-11.&#32;<a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2490769057?page=5#87">Low lvl pvp is pathetic, just plain pathetic.</a>.&#32;<i>Official Battlegrounds and World PvP forum (EU)</i>.</span>
</li>
<li id="cite_note-7"><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a> <span class="reference-text">Blizzard Entertainment.&#32;<a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://us.blizzard.com/store/details.xml?id=110000044">World of Warcraft&#174; Battle Chest&#174;</a>.&#32;<i>Blizzard Store (US)</i>.&#32;Retrieved on 2011-07-14.</span>
</li></ol></div>
Fandyllichttp://www.wowwiki.com/User_blog:Fandyllic/Wired.com_advice_columnist_suggests_paying_gold_farming_service_instead_of_sonWired.com advice columnist suggests paying gold farming service instead of son2011-08-31T00:48:05Z<div class="elinks-item-external" style="padding-left:26px; text-indent:-26px;"><a href="http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/0e/Icon-external-22x22.png/revision/latest?cb=20070126024821" class="image image-thumbnail" title="External link" ><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIABAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAEALAAAAAABAAEAQAICTAEAOw%3D%3D" alt="Icon-external-22x22" class="lzy lzyPlcHld " data-image-key="Icon-external-22x22.png" data-image-name="Icon-external-22x22.png" data-src="http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/0e/Icon-external-22x22.png/revision/latest?cb=20070126024821" width="22" height="22" onload="if(typeof ImgLzy===&#39;object&#39;){ImgLzy.load(this)}" ><noscript><img src="http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/wowwiki/images/0/0e/Icon-external-22x22.png/revision/latest?cb=20070126024821" alt="Icon-external-22x22" class="" data-image-key="Icon-external-22x22.png" data-image-name="Icon-external-22x22.png" width="22" height="22" ></noscript></a> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text exitstitial" href="http://www.wired.com/magazine/2011/08/st_kia_wow/">Wired.com</a>&#160;<span class="elink-desc">Mr. Know-It-All: World of Warcraft Chores, Wedding Netiquette, Kindle Singles</span>&#160;<span class="elink-bydate" style="font-size:88%;">By Brendan I. Koerner, August 30, 2011, 12:30 pm</span></div>
<p>I'm just going to excerpt this crazy advice article.
</p>
<dl><dd><b>I’m paying my tween son to farm gold for me in <i><a href="/World_of_Warcraft" title="World of Warcraft">World of Warcraft</a></i>. My wife is horrified; I equate it with paying him to mow the lawn. Am I a terrible dad?</b>
</dd><dd><i>Excerpt:</i>
<dl><dd>...While your kid will be better served by pulling weeds, that doesn’t mean you have to give up your dream of becoming a level-85 Night Elf. There are plenty of Chinese firms willing to fatten any WOW character’s coffers for a fee. Or perhaps you’d like to purchase Mr. Know-It-All’s account: Any interest in an orc shaman named after a <i>Family Ties</i> character? I’m looking to quit the game so I can spend more time with my son.
</dd></dl>
</dd></dl>
<p>Oh great, so now Wired.com is recommending going to a <a href="/Gold_farmer" title="Gold farmer">Gold farmer</a> service over paying one of your kids to farm gold. Just great. Next they'll be suggesting <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blackwater_Worldwide" class="extiw exitstitial" title="wikipedia:Blackwater Worldwide"><i>Blackwater</i></a> to do some internet bullying.
</p><p>The funny thing is that if you read the middle part of the advice it is pretty good, but the beginning and the end are amazingly awful.
</p><p>Take it from <i>Mr. Know-It-All</i>.
</p>Fandyllichttp://www.wowwiki.com/User_blog:Fandyllic/Redlink_in_comments_test_blogRedlink in comments test blog2011-08-22T18:24:58Z<p>This blog is created only to test if red links show up for non-existent pages linked in comments.
</p>Fandyllichttp://www.wowwiki.com/User_blog:Fandyllic/Ask_CDev_Round_2_answers_actually_arrive_before_escape_of_moon!Ask CDev Round 2 answers actually arrive before escape of moon!2011-06-24T16:25:12Z<p>As a semi-lore junky, I was very intrigued by the answers given in <a href="/Ask_Creative_Development#Round_1" title="Ask Creative Development">Round 1 of the Ask Creative Development forum posts</a>. Unfortunately, Round 1 ended with an ominous quote from <a href="/Bashiok" title="Bashiok" class="mw-redirect">Bashiok</a>: <span>Expect answers sometime between next Monday and when the Moon escapes the Earth’s orbit!</span>
</p><p>Well, apparently the moon got mad at being involved with the CDev process and got them to answer <a href="/Ask_Creative_Development#Round_2" title="Ask Creative Development">Round 2</a> under threat. It is definitely worth a read. While several of the answers are <a href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/elliptical" class="extiw exitstitial" title="wiktionary:elliptical">elliptical</a>, they settle alot of questions that have probably been lingering for those interested in Warcraft lore.
</p><p>Here are some select doozies:
</p>
<div style="margin-left:24px;">
<dl><dt>Q&#58; Are the Warcraft and World of Warcraft RPG books considered canon?
</dt></dl>
<dl><dd>A: No. The RPG books were created to provide an engaging table-top role-playing experience, which sometimes required diverging from the established video game canon. Blizzard helped generate a great deal of the content within the RPG books, so there will be times when ideas from the RPG will make their way into the game and official lore, but you are much better off considering the RPG books non-canonical unless otherwise stated.
</dd></dl>
<p><i>Commentary:</i> Yikes! This means the many citations and references we use here at <a href="/WoWWiki" title="WoWWiki" class="mw-redirect">WoWWiki</a> are only semi-valid!
</p>
<dl><dt>Q&#58; Have we seen a true titan yet in World of Warcraft?
</dt></dl>
<dl><dd>A: No, only their creations.
</dd></dl>
<p><i>Commentary:</i> So <a href="/Titan" title="Titan">Titans</a> may or may not look like <a href="/Titanic_watcher" title="Titanic watcher">Titanic watchers</a>, since we have never really seen a Titan in-game.
</p>
<dl><dt>Q&#58; What races were on Azeroth before the coming of the titans?
</dt></dl>
<dl><dd>A: Besides the elementals, the only known sentient races on Azeroth when the titans' forces arrived to subdue the Old Gods were the trolls, the race known as "faceless ones," and the aqir. Due to the Old Gods' war against the titans, as well as the extensive terraforming that followed the war's conclusion, records of what races existed before even the Old Gods' arrival have likely been lost forever.
</dd></dl>
<p><i>Commentary:</i> My read on this &#8212; <a href="/Night_elf" title="Night elf">night elves</a> are really just mutated <a href="/Troll" title="Troll">trolls</a>. They don't come out and say it directly, but "the only known sentient races on Azeroth when the titans' forces arrived to subdue the Old Gods were the trolls, the race known as "faceless ones," and the aqir." That definitely leaves out night elves, and since they didn't come here on a <a href="/Exodar" title="Exodar">spaceship</a>...
</p>
<dl><dt>Q&#58; What has become of the blood elf Spellbreakers?
</dt></dl>
<dl><dd>A: While they were already few in number to begin with, the ranks of this formidable fighting force were thinned drastically when their headquarters on the Isle of Quel'Danas was overwhelmed by Kael'thas and his Burning Legion forces. The lone squad that remains now exists as a relic of a bygone era, as the Spellbreakers have refrained from training any new recruits since Kael'thas's betrayal.
</dd></dl>
<p><i>Commentary:</i> Doesn't bode well for a future <a href="/Spell_breaker" title="Spell breaker">Spell breaker</a> hero class, but who knows.
</p>
<dl><dt>Q&#58; Were there ever different elemental lords before the current four?
</dt></dl>
<dl><dd>A: Ragnaros, Al'Akir, Therazane, and Neptulon are the only elemental rulers Azeroth has had in its existence. What this will mean for the elements of fire and air with the deaths of their elemental lords is unknown, but it most certainly is not good.
</dd></dl>
<p><i>Commentary:</i> Aww...
</p>
<dl><dt>Q&#58; Is Elune a naaru?
</dt></dl>
<dl><dd>A: During a recent visit to Darnassus by Velen, he explained that the kaldorei's description of Elune, as well as the demonstrated powers of the goddess, matched his experiences with powerful naaru. He began to offer advice regarding how to commune with powerful naaru, but Tyrande thanked him for his opinion, then cordially requested that he refrain from making such outlandish claims when in Darnassus or in the presence of Elune's priesthood.
</dd></dl>
<p><i>Commentary:</i> Tyrande is appearently a religious luddite.
</p>
</div>
<p>Any other lore junkies out there?
</p>Fandyllic